Chef roll call... Who here swings a knife for a living?

sierra11b

sierra11b

Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
622
Just curious…

Amateur home cooks with a passion for food chime in as well...

Personally, I started on a very limited part time basis at a waffle house while serving as an airborne infantryman. For those that have served you can image how 'limited' that was. Fifteen years later I'm a corporate chef for a major hotel brand, chef to the owners of a professional sports franchise, and culinary instructor. I've worn every hat you can imagine in between working predominately the Bay Area and Sacramento fine dining scene. I'll admit that while I've always enjoyed good food I never thought it would have become a career… I really wanted to become a scientist of sorts. :rolleyes:

I learned to make knifes from slip joint maker Al Warren (great guy with a big heart) and was never really good at it -- at least not nearly the level most of you makers are. I did make a few dozen knives, most of which I gave to mentors and colleagues that use them to this day, but time and living circumstances put knife making on hold. Someday when things aren't so hectic I plan to put the shop back together and make knives once again.

I will say, however, that A LOT has changed here and that I'm seeing some really nice knives being produced by a lot of of you. I must admit years ago when very few makers where pursing kitchen cutlery I envisioned most buried in the drawer of a camper as the geometry was just wrong…Workable no doubt but just wrong for serious use. So great work to all of you that understand the importance of sound blade geometry and steel as it pertains to daily kitchen use! :thumbup:

Sadly, I don't swing a knife as often as I'd like anymore but still find occasional time in the kitchen or for VIPs. What brought me back here was the prospect of a pocketed-sheathed paring (likely because of my love for traditional). BUT I also wanted to add that if anyone has any questions regarding their designs I'd be happy to assist as I love knives like the rest here.

Happy cooking
-Eric
 
My beauties!
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Nice kit. I'm particularly fond of wantanabe's knives as he gets it right. Use a 210mm, 240mm gyutos, and 180mm nikiri almost exclusively.
 
Ah nice nice!

Usually I like 240 mm gyuto, but this one (270 mm) was sent to me on accident and I couldn't return it, so beautiful and competent.
 
Yaaay! I love kitchen threads, we need more of them.
I'm no pro but I cook at home all the time.

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My AS Babies!!
 
You want to avoid stainless yanagi. I wouldn't take a free yanagi if it was stainless.

Nice knives btw, takeda?
 
Why do you say that? I find high carbon can corrupt the flavor of delicate fishies.

The three on the right are Takeda, the parer is an Asai. Stainless damascus and AS San Mai. He runs it a little softer than Takeda so I like it for twisting cuts in starchy/dense materials.
 
I think it could be done. I think those that make kitchen knives of stainless get it wrong by heat treating too hard in whatever steels that happen to use. The Japanese do it correct as the steel is clad much like the dampening properties of a pencil lead in its surrounding wood. I'm a firm believer that stainless kitchen knives be hardened no more than 59rc and even better if the metallurgy of the particular steel is tight under magnification. Those of us that do this for a living don't mind hitting the water stone or diamond steel for that perfect cut on a daily basis. The overly hardened stainless which contains no built-in dampening properties is often way too unforgiving for professional use IMHO.
 
I spent four years as a sous but it's been a lifetime ago.

Marriage, kids, and new job opportunities took me out of the kitchen and now all the cooking I do is at home or friends' houses. I am the designated sharpener for all the knives still though.

I had Big Chris whip up some 3V kitchen knives two years ago (has it been that long already?) but the orange handles stood out too much against the rest of the knives and now they're relegated to special occasions and spend most of their time locked up so nobody cuts on the granite…yeah, I deal with a lot of that. :(

B
 
sierra11b said:
I think it could be done. I think those that make kitchen knives of stainless get it wrong by heat treating too hard in whatever steels that happen to use. The Japanese do it correct as the steel is clad much like the dampening properties of a pencil lead in its surrounding wood. I'm a firm believer that stainless kitchen knives be hardened no more than 59rc and even better if the metallurgy of the particular steel is tight under magnification. Those of us that do this for a living don't mind hitting the water stone or diamond steel for that perfect cut on a daily basis. The overly hardened stainless which contains no built-in dampening properties is often way too unforgiving for professional use IMHO.
Click to expand...

Just wanted to add that of the few knives I made out of 13C26, CPM-154 and even S30V for my very first, all were hardened to around 58RC and were great (okay... the S30V was so-so). Just a few strokes on a stone or steel and they were ready for the entire day...

This one is of 8" CPM-154 and works very well for me...

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Brian , you mean my 3Vs won't cut granite ? might as well throw them out !
 
The 3V might cut granite. Send it to me and I'll give it a test.

Here's a pic from Chris before he threw handles on them:
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That Chinese Chef would have about the best shot of cleaving non-food stuff. LOL!

B
 
I worked as a prep cook in my daughter's restaurant. 50 lb sacks of onions, bushels of tomatoes, green peppers, and boneless hams. I brought many knives and formed some opinions. Good experience!
 
Sierra11B - why did you feel the S30V was only "so-so"? I am ready to start a chefs knife made of S35VN but if the steel is wrong I may rethink things.
Tim
 
Ever since moving out of the dorms in college way back in '02, I have been seeking to increase my culinary prowess. I'm an avid home cook who's not afraid to play with sousvide, blow torches and whatever comes my way. My Mother has a very addictive personality when it comes to hobbies and she has passed that down to me as well. With that said, I have a condition when it comes to acquiring kitchen knives. Here's my collection, I've drifted away from purely Japanese makers and have started collecting top U.S. Bladesmith's knives.

Here they are, speaking of which I need to add another knife rack as I do not have enough space. My apologies for the terrible cellphone pictures.

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tim37a said:
Sierra11B - why did you feel the S30V was only "so-so"? I am ready to start a chefs knife made of S35VN but if the steel is wrong I may rethink things.
Tim
Click to expand...

I don't consider myself a steel expert by any means but ive tried S30V at 61-62rc and it was like glass on a chalkboard against both wood and plastic cutting boards -- far too unforgiving. I tried it at 58-59rc at it was almost gummy if that makes any sense. Your mileage may vary with a lower hardness. Remember, it's easier to water stone or diamond steel on a semi-frequent basis than have an edge that holds up well over time but that you cringe on the prospect of sharpening. I'm not saying you need to pull out the stones between every task or everyday, but I do try to spend a few minutes on a knife once a week with regular use.
 
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